Malaysians charged S$2,700 by Singapore’s LTA due to missing exit records since August

MALAYSIA: Malaysian lost a total of RM10,000 (approximately S$2,700) due to an alleged “system error” during his trip to Singapore.

The man named Wei Jun, as reported by WorldofBuzz (WOB), recounted the incident on his Instagram account on 15 December, and the video he posted was titled “This is how we lost RM10,000 in 2 hours.”

At the Land Transport Authority (LTA) office in Singapore, they faced a staggering fee, transforming their planned return drive to Malaysia into a distressing ordeal for Wei Jun and his friend, Daniel.

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An outstanding fee of RM10,000 due to a ‘system error’

In the video, he detailed how the situation transpired when he and his friend tried to exit Singapore but were notified of an unpaid fee amounting to SGD2,700 (roughly RM10,000), hindering their leave.

This alarming amount surfaced due to an issue with their Autopass card, an obligatory vehicle entry permit for regular visitors driving to Singapore.

This card maintains a record of their entry into and exit from Singapore, along with associated daily charges.

According to Wei Jun, the LTA system failed to register their departure from Singapore four months prior, during their last visit.

“Their system somehow doesn’t have the record of us leaving Singapore since four months ago, which was the last time we visited the country,” he said.

This “error” resulted in a substantial sum of money, leading Wei Jun to ask the officers to confirm their exit with immigration. However, they declined, citing incompatible systems as the reason for their inability to synchronize information.

“I was told that they were using different systems, so they couldn’t synchronize the information,” explained Wei Jun.

Despite a two-hour argument and the suggestion to cross-check with CCTV footage, the officers insisted on payment as the only resolution, warning of vehicle confiscation if payment wasn’t made.

“First of all we couldn’t understand how we could exit and enter Singapore all these while if there’s and error with the card,” he said in the video.

Moreover, he mentioned, “only some immigration officers will remind you to scan the card, some won’t, we have to remind ourselves. So, I think a lot of first time drivers will miss this completely.”

Wei Jun also shared that they attempted to appeal to the LTA but have not received any response thus far.

Speaking to WOB, Wei Jun expressed frustration that officers solely relied on passport stamps for confirmation, and not checking on the CCTV to confirm their exit.

However, since the passports fall under immigration and the vehicle under the LTA, the officers informed the duo that they could not consider this as a confirmation.

“We were told that despite the information in our passports, it doesn’t prove that our vehicle left Singapore. We could have left it there for 4 months,” lamented Wei Jun.

Wei Jun remains unconvinced by this explanation and hopes that sharing his experience will raise awareness among fellow travelers.

He emphasized, “Hope our RM10,000 can save some of you from seeing the same fate.”

Online community responses

Wei Jun’s story has reached a wide audience, with many expressing shock at the substantial fee accumulated due to the system error.

Interestingly, numerous individuals have also faced similar circumstances, suggesting that this situation may be more common than anticipated.

Those taken aback by the incident have characterized it as a “daylight robbery.”

One user wrote that Wei Jun could have either neglected to insert the Autopass card or inserted it incorrectly into the machine slot during their departure from the Singapore checkpoint.

“The LTA system and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) system are completely different. Regardless if you have forgotten to insert or insert it wrongly, the barrier will still go up once they finish stamping you passport.”

“Only way to do is to double check with the officer that you have properly inserted your card into the slot,” he explained.

Wei Jun replied that it was indeed due to an error with their card when scanning.

“We were not made aware of it, they simply said later on that it’s not the ICA’s responsibility to inform us,” he stated.

He emphasized a perceived lack of clear communication in the system, particularly disadvantaging infrequent drivers to Singapore.

He added, “Given that the ICA is not incentivised to assist the public, we created this (video) as a PSA to help inform people.”

Another comment empathized, stating that they comprehended the situation as their father had encountered a similar issue.

Allegedly, at the time, despite presenting arguments, the officers did not acknowledge their points, ultimately leading to them settling the owed amount.

Others have speculated that the error might stem from the system being outdated or ineffective, “last upgraded was decades ago,” they wrote.

Conversely, a different user recommended appealing to the LTA and patiently awaiting responses.

They assured that with documented proof, reimbursement would likely be processed, emphasizing that the officers are merely carrying out their duties and adhering to protocols.